How do I prove my marriage is "real?"

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

The OP has been illegal all her life, so I understand no joint documents (no SSN). I do think it's odd they don't have photos of their kid though...

[ChrisPG 30]

The OP has been illegal all her life, so I understand no joint documents (no SSN). I do think it's odd they don't have photos of their kid though...

I guess this is why it is important to keep most things in one thread, rather than starting multiple threads, as we don't all get the same set of information unless we go investigating through past posts-- anyway, lets just hope that the OP's EAD arrives before the interview appointment and then she could obtain a SSN and start getting herself added to all of these pieces of evidence.

Like you Harpa, I find this case very odd and the lack of evidence is startling for such a long relationship, illegal or not. I mean, I was out-of-status in the US for three years and no SSN, but still managed to get myself added to most things. Perhaps the issue is that she no longer as any valid ID to show (expired passport/State ID)? Whatever the reason, it is strange none-the-less.

[bigdog 376]

See other postings an timeliness as to what they feel constitutes evidence, compare this to the guides and uscis material. Your comments lead me to believe you may have an issue, and it its not my call maybe an attorney would assist you better than DIY,

[DandT14 272]

Another problem is that apparently the OP got married in 2007 (based on her signature.) Her husband filed taxes in 2007, 2008, and 2009. I'm just guessing that he filed "Single" not "Married". There's a can of worms there, I'm thinking.

As for the lack of pictures...I hate pictures and have very few. Even so, I have lots of pictures of my husband with my kids. And those are MY kids from a previous marriage, not his. But I get pictures of them at various holidays and events, because they're my family. Who doesn't take 8 million pictures of their kid? The husband is bound to be in some, even if by accident.

Maybe I'm overly negative but I think things are adding up to a problem...

[neodragon0l 6]

OP needs an attorney at this point to sort out the can of worms. just having a marriage certificate and a child does not constitute an ongoing relationship. I say check in with the friends. Maybe they accidentally took pictures of the family. I actually found more pictures of my fiancee and I from our common friends' cameras. We were too broke to buy our at the time. If was married 10 years ago with tax returns stating single, USCIS will flag them again for that. I really don't want to be another devil's advocate, but hopefully OP can just let everything out. It is easier to help someone with cryptic questions.

[Ilarrotta 2]

I find that also a little hard to believe, somehow you always get "things" together.. But anyways, something my husband and I added to the whole package of supporting documents was a notarized letter from friends who knew us from college testifying that they knew us and that they also are witnesses that we have been married for x amount of time. This may be one thing you can add.

[kitt2001 11]

I went and saw my fiance in PI for only 3 weeks. Those 3 weeks were the only time we have been together in person. I came back home with over 700 pictures from a 3 week time period. You only have a few pictures after ten years. I find it hard to believe that your relationship is real. Sorry. But you wanted advice and I am giving you my honest answer.

[G&D 51]

Seriously, guys?? We have a kid together We have pics together but not a lot.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the OP has left the buiding!!

Some people just don't like to hear the truth.

[MDM24 1]

[Freedove7 17]

I find it hard to believe that you have been together for 10 years and married for 5 years and the only "evidence" you have is a child's birth certificate and marriage certificate!

- You have no lease/mortgage agreements?

- No joint financial evidence (credit, checking or savings)?

- No joint life or health insurance?

- No Ids with the same name (State ID, DL, SSN, Passport or Student ID)?

- No joint car insurance or even a joint car title?

- No photos of you guys together with friends and family for the 10 years you have together?

- Never taken a vacation together? No photos of that or boarding passes?

- No written affidavits of support from friends, family neighbors, bosses or landlords?

- No wedding cards written to the both of you?

- No joint ultilties?

- No pieces of separate mail showing going to the same address? For example a gym member in your husband's name and a magazine subscription in your name, both with the same mailing address.

I am not sure how all of this will look to the IO on the day of your interview.

We have the same last name.How could I have been on the utility bill without having a social? I just got one in Dec. We have mail with the same adress.We have pics.We took vacations together.Why would I keep the boarding pass?

[ChrisPG 30]

We have the same last name.How could I have been on the utility bill without having a social? I just got one in Dec. We have mail with the same adress.We have pics.We took vacations together.Why would I keep the boarding pass?

I too never had a social security number until April of this year, but I still managed to get utilities in my name and open bank accounts when I was single-- otherwise I would have spent the entire first year of my life in the U.S. without electricity in my apartment

When I was married I got added to wife's bank account and added onto a family plan through Verizon without any issue and I still didn't have a SSN at that point. There are things you can to do without a SSN.

Now, so far you have:

-Marriage certificate.

-A few photos.

-Child's birth certificate.

-Mail with the same address.

The USCIS has very specific guidelines about what they want to see, we here on the forum do not make the rules, we only follow them and then share our knowledge of what we have learned throughout the process with others so that they can be better informed and have what is needed in order to have the best chance at being successful in their journey. Nobody here is trying to personally attack you and nor are we judging your marriage; that is the IO's job on the day of your interview, we are just trying to respectively let you know that through our collective experiences and from what we have learned from others on this forum that your evidence may not be enough to satisfy the interviewing officer.

I would look at trying to get yourself added to your lease or get your landlord to write a letter stating that three (you, your husband and child) of you are currently living together and have lived together for x number years. Since you now have a social, look at trying to get yourself added to utilities, you can also open up a joint *checking* account that has nothing to do with credit scores and will not affect your credit history. Do you have a state ID or DL that is in your married name? If not, I would look into getting that changed, the same with your passport and Social Security Card.

Edited June 14, 2012 by ChrisPG

[dwheels76 5,463]

We have the same last name.How could I have been on the utility bill without having a social? I just got one in Dec. We have mail with the same adress.We have pics.We took vacations together.Why would I keep the boarding pass?

Can I ask you said earlier u were out of status. Has that been resolved? How were you able to obtain a SS#?

Now as far as bills and things you sure can be added to utilities and such without SS# I have done with my husband and he isn't even bere yet.

When I moved into my place and set up cable, utilities. When ask what name to put on bill I gave our first names and last name so it come to dwheels76 and dchase Bond.

I would get affidavits from friends for sure and ask if any have pics.

You have to understand people have come here gone their separate ways live separate lives until its ROC time or AOS time. As said before a child shows nothing you could have borrowed that child to say its both of yours to create evidence. Not saying you did but it has been done. You have no pics I bet of pregnancy to prove you were even pregnant. And you know an adoption or surrogate birth certificate can be amended to have you and your husband as the birth parents.

Stop thinking like a couple in love and look at what you have to present to a CO would they be convinced of a bona fide relationship.

[SOflaherty 40]

Can I ask you said earlier u were out of status. Has that been resolved? How were you able to obtain a SS#?

Now as far as bills and things you sure can be added to utilities and such without SS# I have done with my husband and he isn't even bere yet.

When I moved into my place and set up cable, utilities. When ask what name to put on bill I gave our first names and last name so it come to dwheels76 and dchase Bond.

Some of these entirely depend on the state. Alabama has severely cracked down in the last few months, and with many banks in the state it's impossible to add someone to a bank/utility account without a SSN. However, since OP says she's had one since December, I'm unsure why she hasn't gone about getting herself added to the bank and utility accounts. Given that they have 4 weeks till the interview, there is loads of time still to do this.

I hope her husband didn't file as single on his taxes, that could be an issue. There's no reason she couldn't have gotten an ITIN so that they could file joint taxes. That's what we did, and my husband was already out of status when we got his, the IRS doesn't care about that. The lease may be an issue also, as it's actually illegal in most states to NOT have someone on the lease that lives there, and since she again has has that SSN since December, there's no reason she couldn't have had the lease updated to include her. I have seen cases on VJ where RFE's were issued at the interview due to not being on the lease.

The only thing I can't understand is why OP has a SS and has had 5 months to have herself added to these accounts and the lease, and hasn't done so. Immigration interviews don't just pop up out of nowhere like a cold sore, she knew it was coming since she filed the papers.

[kitt2001 11]

We have the same last name.How could I have been on the utility bill without having a social? I just got one in Dec. We have mail with the same adress.We have pics.We took vacations together.Why would I keep the boarding pass?

You keep the boarding pass because it is very important PROOF!!!!

[Waiting_In_SC 27]

My wife is on our utility bill and she has no social security number. They asked for it, I explained why she doesn't have one. They just took her passport number and were completely satisfied.

There are a few things that you ABSOLUTELY have to have a SSN for, but there are many, many other things in which you can use something else. It took 5 minutes to take care of.